How A Family Became Jewel Thieves And What It Cost Them Texas Wine And True Crime podcast

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How A Family Became Jewel Thieves And What It Cost Them

12d ago 54:56

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A diamond thief with a conscience, a father who thrived on beating the system, and a brother who asked the hardest questions—Bryan Sobolewski takes us inside a five-year run of New England jewelry heists and the aftermath that reshaped his life. The story starts with a “favor” to recover stolen money and spirals into armed robberies, fake storefronts, and a tight 90-second rule. Bryan breaks down how mom-and-pop stores relied on traveling salesmen carrying entire catalogs, why insurance policies demanded they be armed, and how that escalated risk on both sides. He explains the choreography behind Burlington’s most complex setup, and why control—not speed—was their true advantage when they could create the right conditions.
We go deep on recruitment, including the surprising role of a hockey mom, and the mechanics of moving stolen goods without touching pawn shops. Bryan reveals how they pre-sold, hosted private “gold parties,” and even unwittingly sold to a local police department. It’s a masterclass in criminal logistics and a candid look at the paranoia that follows: the weeks-long adrenaline, the constant rearview mirror checks, and the searing anxiety that becomes your new normal. When a perfect composite sketch of his father hit the papers, the cracks widened. Arrests rolled in across states, an insider flipped, and the crew took plea deals—twelve years for his father, eight for his brother, and nearly three for Bryan.
What comes next is raw and human. Bryan’s builds a new life with education, personal training, and speaking to students and recovery groups about choices and consequences. He confronts family loyalty, addiction, and the grief of losing both his father and brother in 2022, a case ruled a double suicide with lingering uncertainty. Along the way, he calls out the stubborn stigma of a criminal record and the urgent need for second-chance hiring. This is true crime with uncommon clarity—ethics, logistics, trauma, and the long road to redemption.
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Chapters

1. Meet Brian: Diamond Thief Turned Mentor (00:00:00)

2. The Louvre Heist And Media Calls (00:01:04)

3. Why Stories Matter (00:02:03)

4. The First Robbery: “Saving” Dad (00:02:29)

5. Addiction, Aimlessness, And Father’s Influence (00:05:16)

6. Planning, Risk, And A Walk-Away (00:08:57)

7. The Industry Reacts And Trust Games (00:11:15)

8. Growing Up Skirting Rules (00:12:55)

9. Roles, Recruitment, And The Rush (00:15:20)

10. Targets, Insurance, And Armed Salesmen (00:18:09)

11. The Burlington Setup And Mastermind Dad (00:20:36)

12. Ethics, Anxiety, And The 90-Second Rule (00:23:20)

13. Best Heists And Close Calls (00:26:13)

14. Fencing Strategy And “Gold Parties” (00:29:12)

15. Worst Robbery: Scanner Surprise (00:31:04)

16. Composite Sketch And Cracks Form (00:32:58)

17. Arrests, Pleas, And Sentences (00:35:01)

18. Life After Prison And New Crimes (00:37:06)

19. Double Death: Suicide Or Murder-Suicide (00:39:06)

20. Stigma, Second Chances, And Farewell (00:42:02)

174 episodes

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